Spotify is a giant in the music streaming service industry, offering millions of tracks and podcasts at your fingertips. Its user-friendly interface, vast library, and personalized playlists make it a favorite among music enthusiasts worldwide.
Here are some key features of the Spotify desktop application:
- Ease of Access: Spotify brings your favorite music and podcasts to your desktop.
- Personalization: Discover new music through personalized playlists and recommendations.
- High-Quality Streaming: Enjoy music in high-quality audio formats.
- Cross-Platform Support: Access your Spotify account on any device, anytime.
- Offline Listening: Download your favorite tracks and podcasts for offline enjoyment.
- User-Friendly: Navigate through a clean and intuitive interface.
- Social Sharing: Share your favorite music and playlists with friends.
- Continuous Updates: Stay up-to-date with the latest features and music releases.
With these points in mind, let’s move on to the installation process. Now, let’s dive into the technical steps to get Spotify up and running on your Ubuntu system.
Method 1: Install Spotify via APT
Installing Spotify on Ubuntu is first by using the APT package manager and importing the official Spotify repository. This option is ideal for most users as it allows for easy updates.
Update Ubuntu Before Spotify Installation
Begin by ensuring that your system is up-to-date to avoid any conflicts. Run the following command:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeInstall Initial Packages For Spotify Installation
Install the necessary dependencies required for installing Spotify using the APT method with the following command:
sudo apt install curl libcanberra-gtk-module software-properties-common apt-transport-httpsImport Spotify APT Repository
Import the GPG key using the following command:
curl -sS https://download.spotify.com/debian/pubkey_7A3A762FAFD4A51F.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/spotify.gpg > /dev/nullAdd the official repository by running the following command:
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/spotify.gpg] http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.listInstall Spotify via APT Command
Update your system to reflect the newly imported repository by running the following:
sudo apt updateFinally, install Spotify by running the following command:
sudo apt install spotify-clientNote: You might need to restart your computer after installing Spotify if the necessary system paths haven’t been created immediately. Rebooting your computer should resolve this issue.
rebootMethod 2: Install Spotify via Flatpak and Flathub
Another method for installing Spotify on Ubuntu is using the Flatpak package manager. However, it’s worth noting that Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu distributions due to Snap, which is Flatpak’s rival, owned by Canonical and Ubuntu.
Note: If you don’t have Flatpak installed on your Ubuntu machine, refer to our installation guide. The guide utilizes a LaunchPAD PPA from the Flatpak team to ensure you get the latest version of Flatpak for all versions of Ubuntu.
Ensure Flathub is Enabled for Spotify
The first task is to ensure Flathub is enabled; this should be the case if you have installed Flatpak already beforehand, but still worth running to ensure it is:
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoInstall Spotify via Flatpak Command
Next, install the Spotify client using the following command:
flatpak install flathub com.spotify.ClientMethod 3: Install Spotify via Snapcraft
The third way to install Spotify on Ubuntu is using the Snapcraft package manager. By default, Snapcraft should already be installed on Ubuntu systems unless it was removed previously.
Snap Core
The snap core needs to be installed to avoid any conflicts, which can be done with the following command:
sudo snap install coreInstall Spotify via Snap Command
Install the Spotify snap package using the following command:
sudo snap install spotifyLaunch Spotify via CLI or GUI Methods
Once you successfully installed Spotify on Ubuntu using one of the three methods (APT, Flatpak, or Snapcraft), you can quickly launch the application through cli commands or the application icon.
CLI Commands to Open Spotify UI
APT Command:
spotifyFlatpak Command:
flatpak run com.spotify.ClientSnap Command:
snap run spotifyGraphical Launch Method with Spotify Application Icon
If you prefer to launch the Spotify application using the icon on Ubuntu, here are the steps:
- Click on the “Activities” button in the top left corner of the screen.
- Search for “Spotify” in the search bar and click the Spotify icon to launch the application.
Additional Spotify Commands
Remove Spotify
If you no longer need Spotify on your Ubuntu machine, you can easily remove it using the following methods, depending on the installation method you used:
APT Remove Method For Spotify
Open the terminal and run the following command to remove Spotify:
sudo apt remove spotify-clientIf you don’t plan on reinstalling Spotify in the future, you can remove the repository by running the following command:
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.listLastly, remove the GPG key with the following command:
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/spotify.gpgFlatpak Remove Method For Spotify
Open the terminal and run the following command to remove Spotify:
flatpak uninstall --delete-data flathub com.spotify.ClientSnap Remove Method For Spotify
Open the terminal and run the following command to remove Spotify:
sudo snap remove spotifyWith these steps, you can successfully uninstall Spotify from your Ubuntu machine, regardless of the installation method you used.
Conclusion
In this guide, we walked through installing Spotify on Ubuntu, covering three installation methods to suit different preferences. We also shared tips for first-time users on optimizing performance, customizing the experience, and enhancing functionality, ensuring you get the most out of Spotify on your Ubuntu system. Remember, the key to a smooth Spotify experience on Linux is to keep experimenting with settings and community resources.